Register Your Trademark Online
A federal registration is the strongest form of trademark protection available in the United States — giving you nationwide rights and the tools to defend your brand.
Why register a trademark
Using a name in commerce gives you some rights automatically, but they are limited to the specific geographic area where you actually do business — and they're difficult to prove in court. Federal registration extends your protection nationwide, creates a public record of your ownership, and unlocks the tools you need to defend the mark if someone tries to use it.
For a growing business, an unregistered mark is a fragile thing. Anyone can adopt the same name in a different state, and stopping them later becomes an expensive, uphill fight. Registering with the USPTO is the difference between hoping no one copies you and having the legal standing to stop them if they do.
What a federal registration gives you
Nationwide legal ownership
A federal registration gives you the presumption of ownership across all 50 states, not just where you actually operate today.
Stop confusingly similar marks
Registration is your strongest tool for blocking competitors who try to use a similar name, logo, or slogan in your space.
Access to federal court
Registered owners can bring infringement claims in federal court, with statutory damages and attorney's fees available in some cases.
Use the ® symbol
Signal your registered status publicly — a quiet but powerful deterrent to would-be copycats before they even start.
Customs enforcement
Record your registration with U.S. Customs to help block counterfeit imports at the border.
Basis for foreign filings
Your U.S. registration serves as the anchor for extending trademark protection into other countries through the Madrid Protocol.
How the process works
- 1
Tell us about your mark
Share the name, logo, or slogan you want to register, along with the products or services it represents in commerce.
- 2
Clearance search
Before filing, we screen the federal register and other sources for conflicts. This is included with every registration.
- 3
Application preparation
An attorney at our filing partner drafts your application in the correct USPTO class and prepares any required specimens.
- 4
USPTO filing
Your application is filed electronically with the USPTO. You'll receive confirmation and a serial number the same day.
- 5
Examination & response
A USPTO examining attorney reviews your application. If they issue an office action, your filing team responds on your behalf.
- 6
Publication & registration
Cleared applications are published for opposition. If no one successfully objects, your mark proceeds to registration.
What's included
Every registration filed through our partner includes:
- A federal clearance search of your mark
- An attorney at our filing partner prepares and files your application with the USPTO
- Your attorney selects the correct USPTO class for your goods or services
- Status updates by email as your application moves through the USPTO
Choosing the right USPTO class
The USPTO organizes trademarks into 45 international classes — 34 classes for goods and 11 for services. Your registration only protects you in the classes you file in, so choosing the right classes up front is one of the most important decisions in your application.
Filing in too few classes leaves gaps that a competitor can slip through. Filing in too many wastes government fees on protection you don't need. Your filing team will help you match your actual and planned use to the correct classes before submitting.
Common questions
A trademark is a brand for your product or service to consumers. The trademark can be a name, phrase, or logo used on a product or advertised for a service. For example, McDonald's® is a name for restaurant or Nike® for shoes.
We can file an application as quickly as 24 hours once we have everything from you. Once an application is filed with the USPTO, it can take about 3-4 months for an examining attorney new at USPTO to review the application. The entire process can take at least 6-8 months.
A clearance search is included and is strongly recommended before filing, to catch conflicts early.
Ready to protect your brand?
Start your registration today — filing is completed securely with our partner, TrademarkPlus.com.